IMS and VirtualIMS

IMS V10 was announced at the beginning of last month and I would like to share some resources connected to this announcement.

First of all there's VirtualIMS, an initiative of Trevor Eddolls from Mainframe Update who is setting up an IMS community virtual user group : "IMS is used at 95% of the Fortune 1000 companies and has been around for 40 years (...). There doesn't seem to be very much by way of resources for IMS people and I'm hoping this new site will fill in the gaps. It's going to be a virtual user group. I'm planning to organize webinars and an e-newsletter. There's a discussion forum and a place for jobs and resumes. I've also got links to news, articles, events, and other IMS-related resources". You can find all the details of this promising initiative at his blog or on the VirtualIMS site itself.

Also the new CCR2 Newsletter is paying attention the the new version of IMS with a special issue dedicated to it : "This special issue of CCR2™ focuses on IMS™ and the world of Information Technology, which has changed so dramatically since the first IMS-ready message for the Apollo Space program appeared almost 40 years ago. Today, IMS is everywhere, behind the scenes whether you are flipping a light switch or a train switch, tracking a package or moving an assembly line, using your ATM card or conducting international trades. Read on for the latest on IMS technology, firsthand from the experts". Some topics :

• Implementing Omegamon XE for IMS on z/OS
• Making IMS backup and recovery more efficient
• Ready for reuse: IMS applications and data in SOA
• Smart, fast online reorganization keeps your IMS databases running 24x7

As always there's also a great interview clearly picturing the value of this new version.

Next on the list is a new Redbook (still a draft for the moment) : IMS Version 10 Implementation Guide A Technical Overview. Topics covered are : Overview of IMS Version 10 enhancements, System enhancements, Database enhancements, Transaction Manager enhancements, Manageability enhancements, Dynamic Resource Definition, DBRC enhancements, Connectivity enhancements, Integration enhancements, Installation and migration considerations and Tools support for IMS Version 10.

Next to that there surely will be (or have been) some webcasts and teleconferences on the subject.

CCR2 Newsletter - september issue

You might've noticed I've not been posting as regularly as before. I think it really has to do with the holiday period : less announcements, less events, less interesting publications (on Techdocs e.g.) ... and I'm not really eager on posting when there's nothing much to tell. Cucumber season ?

It's been 5 months since I mentioned IBM's CCR2 Newsletter. All details on this newsletter, its content and how to subscribe are in my previous post.
I guess that CCR2 is the first one to pick up the pace again, because there are some really nice articles in it. My selection ?

• The CCR2 Interview: This way to innovative mainframe security
  This interview gives a short introduction to the Tivoli zSecure Suite which are in fact the Consul products. It gives a brief but comprehensive description of the six components : IBM Tivoli zSecure Admin, IBM Tivoli zSecure Audit, IBM Tivoli zSecure Alert, IBM Tivoli zSecure Command Verifier, IBM Tivoli zSecure Visual, and IBM Tivoli zSecure CICS Toolkit.

• "Did you say mainframe?!" podcasts
  In fact these are mainly about mainframe and SOA. There's e.g. "CICS Transaction Server V3.2 –- Continuing to put the S in SOA" talking about "CICS application connectivity, CICS application reuse and CICS application service management".

• Defending Business Data: IBM's System z as the Encryption Hub of the Enterprise
  The title speaks for itself. What's covered ? The mainframe as the central security hub, IPSec (zIIP), Managing Encryption Keys (CryptoExpress2), Encryption with Tape Solutions (TS3500 tape library, TS1120 tape drive, TS3400 tape library and TS7700 Virtualzation Engine).
  

CCR2 Newsletter : A publication for the IBM System z software community

CCR2 is another IBM newsletter. I quote a part of their mission statement :

CCR2™, a publication for the IBM System z™ software community, is the authoritative monthly e-newsletter for System z and zSeries® IT Service Management, Information on Demand, and Service Oriented Architecture/Enterprise Transformation.
CCR2 serves as a leading source of information on System z management best practices, tips for exploiting features in the latest IBM releases and trends important to the System z community.

What I like about this newsletter is that the topics are very comprehensible and to the point without losing itself too much into details. Categories covered are 'Executive Corner', 'Education', 'Product updates', 'Tech Tips', 'Tools', 'Events and Webcasts' . . .
The recent april issue e.g. handles amongst others about :

• "Five reasons why you should be using DB2 9 for z/OS",
  
• "Monitoring dynamic SQL with OMEGAMON XE for DB2 PE on z/OS is good for DB2 performance",
  
• "Meet the premier transaction processor for z/OS: CICS Transaction Server V3.2".

You can subscribe over here.
You can also consult all the back issues. That's how I stumbled across this Podcast from Redmonk Radio about KBC, a Belgian bank : RedMonk Radio Episode 34 - KBC, IBM, EGL, and System z. it's a 40-minute talk "with several folks from IBM and Belgium based KBC about KBC's use of EGL on System z. We start out going over how KBC came to use EGL and it's benefits, and then wrap-up with some mainframe culture talk".